Musical instrument.



PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904.

S. W. CLARK.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT;

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

: INVENTOR JCLZLZZI/ 7750c? CZdlk A TTOR/V WI TN E SSE S:

UNITED STATES Patented June 21, 1904.

SARAH \YOOD CLARK, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,157, dated June 21, 1904.

Application filed December 18, 1903. Serial No. 185,677. (No model.)

To (All whont 7'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH W001) CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Musical Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates particularly to improvements in upright pianos or similar upright musical instruments, an object being to employ in connection with such instrument a curved sounding-board and a curved or concaved lid, which also serves as a medium to diffuse and give enlarged tone and efieet to the sounds deflected upon it by the curved board within the instrument.

I will describe a piano or similar instrument embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a piano or similar instrument embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates an upright piano having the ordinary sounding board 2, behind which is a sound-chamber 3. Arranged in the sound chamber and here shown as forming practically the rear wall thereof is an auxiliary sounding or deflecting board 4: made in accordance with my invention. This sounding-board L is curved vertically-that is, from the lower portion of the instrument to the upper portion thereof-the concavity of the curve being at the inner side; but in the direction of the length of the piano the board extends in straight lines. As here shown, the sounding-board 4, which is made of any suitable material, has attached to it strips 5, which are secured to the back posts 6 of the instrument-casing by means of screws 7. The sounding-board, however, may be otherwise arranged in the casing without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The lid or cover 8 is hinged to the rear top rail of the instrument casing, and consequently extends over the open upper end of the sound-chamber 3. This lid or cover 8 is concaved, the concavity being downwardthat is, it is curved both transversely and legthwise, practically forming a shell-like structure.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an upright piano or like instrument, a verticallydisposed and vertically-curved sounding-board the lines of said board being straight lengthwise of the instrument, and a curved lid.

2. In an upright piano or like instrument, the combination with a main sounding-board, of a vertically-disposed and vertically-curved supplemental sounding-board arranged rearward of the main sounding-board the lines of said supplemental board being straight lengthwise of the instrument, and a lid adapted to extend over the space between the two sounding-boards.

3. In an upright piano, the combination with a main sounding-board, of a vertically-disposed and vertically curved supplemental sounding-board, the lines of said supplemental board lengthwise of the piano being straight.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sulr scribing witnesses.

SARAH \VOOD CLARK.

itnesses:

J NO. M. RrrTER, C. R. Fnncnson. 

